Arsenic (III, V), indium (III), and gallium (III) toxicity to zebrafish embryos using a high-throughput multi-endpoint in vivo developmental and behavioral assay

Abstract

Gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) and other III/V materials are finding increasing application in microelectronic components. The rising demand for III/V-based products is leading to increasing generation of effluents containing ionic species of gallium, indium, and arsenic. The ecotoxicological hazard potential of these streams is unknown. While the toxicology of arsenic is comprehensive, much less is known about the effects of In(III) and Ga(III). The embryonic zebrafish was evaluated for mortality, developmental abnormalities, and photomotor response (PMR) behavior changes associated with exposure to As(III), As(V), Ga(III), and In(III). The As(III) lowest observable effect level (LOEL) for mortality was 500 μM at 24 and 120 hours post-fertilization (hpf). As(V) exposure was associated with significant mortality at 63 μM. The Ga(III)-citrate LOEL was 113 μM at 24 and 120 hpf. There was no association of significant mortality over the tested range of In(III)-citrate (56-900 μM) or sodium citrate (213-3400 μM) exposures. Only As(V) resulted in significant developmental abnormalities with LOEL of 500 μM. Removal of the chorion prior to As(III) and As(V) exposure was associated with increased incidence of mortality and developmental abnormality suggesting that the chorion may normally attenuate mass uptake of these metals by the embryo. Finally, As(III), As(V), and In(III) caused PMR hypoactivity (49-69% of control PMR) at 900-1,000 μM. Overall, our results represent the first characterization of multidimensional toxicity effects of III/V ions in zebrafish embryos helping to fill a significant knowledge gap, particularly in Ga(III) and In(III) toxicology.

Lethal and sublethal effects of aniline and chlorinated anilines on zebrafish embryos and larvae

“…However, it is still not known whether the chorion is also a barrier to the transport of chlorinated anilines. Still, the present study and previous reports (Kim & Tanguay, ; Olivares et al ., ) suggest the possibility of miscalculated mortalities in studies assessing the environmental risk of chemicals conducted only during embryogenesis, as mortality rates apparently differ in the larval stage.…”

Effects of triclosan on Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) during embryo development, early life stage and reproduction

“…Recently, toxicity testing using fish embryos has been recommended as a more humane form of animal testing (EU, ). However, we previously demonstrated that the embryonic and larval stages of zebrafish have different sensitivities to toxic chemicals (Horie, Yamagishi, Koshio, Iguchi, & Tatarazako, ; Horie, Yamagishi, Takahashi, et al, ), possibly because the chorion blocks the transport of certain chemical compounds (Kim & Tanguay, ; Olivares, Field, Simonich, Tanguay, & Sierra‐Alvarez, ). The results of the present study suggest that triclosan exposure negatively affects both the embryonic and the early larval stage in Japanese medaka, with a particularly steep increase in mortality soon after hatching, which is consistent with previous reports of delayed mortality in zebrafish exposed to the dioxin‐like pollutant PCB‐126 (3,3′,4,4′,5‐pentachlorobiphenyl) (Di Paolo et al, ) or to chlorinated anilines (Horie, Yamagishi, Koshio, et al, ).…”

Effect of arsenic exposure on early eye development in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

“…Throughout arsenic exposure, the chorion was left on (until a natural hatch between 48 and 72 hpf) so that the study was more biologically relevant. Although the chorion has been shown to reduce some transfer of arsenic to the embryo, arsenic is still able to pass through (Olivares, Field, Simonich, Tanguay, & Sierra‐Alvarez, ).…”